Northwest Historyhttp://kplu.org
enSecrets of 9,000-year-old 'Kennewick Man' subject of new bookhttp://kplu.org/post/secrets-9000-year-old-kennewick-man-subject-new-book
RICHLAND, Wash. – Kennewick Man is coming back into the news. A new book includes some of the key findings about the 9,000-year-old skeleton found on the banks of the Columbia River in 1996. And next month, the book’s author and the lead researcher on Kennewick Man plans to share the results of years of study.<p>The speech in southeast Washington is one of the first times that Doug Owsley will publicly share his team’s conclusions about these old bones.Fri, 14 Sep 2012 00:15:52 +0000Anna King6330 at http://kplu.orgSecrets of 9,000-year-old 'Kennewick Man' subject of new bookWhy Tacoma owes its slogan to a ‘crazy person’http://kplu.org/post/why-tacoma-owes-its-slogan-crazy-person
<p>Tacoma has been known as the “City of Destiny” for more than 140 years.</p><p>And while the city’s slogan is unique because it has lasted for so long (when was the last time you heard Seattle referred to as “Jet City?”), it also comes from a 19 Century “crazy person” who was a relentless promoter of Tacoma.</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.kpluwonders.org/content/why-tacoma-owes-its-slogan-crazy-person">Read more on <em>I Wonder Why ... ?</em></a></strong></p><p>Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:40:48 +0000Paula Wissel6247 at http://kplu.orgWhy Tacoma owes its slogan to a ‘crazy person’Why King County held a party for a property taxhttp://kplu.org/post/why-king-county-held-party-property-tax
<p>Celebrating taxes is a pretty uncommon event, but the King County Council did just that yesterday to mark the 30th anniversary of <a href="http://directory.kingcounty.gov/ServiceDetail.asp?ServiceID=7228">a property tax</a> and the more than 100,000 acres of public lands it has paid to preserve.</p><p>The council also made its praise of the <a href="http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/stewardship/conservation-futures.aspx">Conservation Futures</a> Tax official with a resolution honoring those who created the program to spend the money.</p><p>Tue, 28 Aug 2012 22:01:49 +0000Bellamy Pailthorp6109 at http://kplu.orgWhy King County held a party for a property taxAverage July 4th: sunnier and warmer than you might thinkhttp://kplu.org/post/average-july-4th-sunnier-and-warmer-you-might-think
<p>The weather for the 4<sup>th</sup> of July this year is looking pretty good, with scattered clouds in the forecast and highs in the low seventies.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>That&rsquo;s actually pretty typical, says Carl Carniglia with the national weather service in Seattle.&nbsp; He looked back at local statistics from the late 1800s to the present and found the historical data contradicts the cliché of rainy weather for Independence day.</p><p>Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:10:58 +0000Bellamy Pailthorp2002 at http://kplu.orgAverage July 4th: sunnier and warmer than you might think64th anniversary of flying saucers at Mt. Rainierhttp://kplu.org/post/64th-anniversary-flying-saucers-mt-rainier
<p>America&#39;s fascination with flying saucers began in Washington state on June 24, 1947. Businessman and pilot Kenneth Arnold was flying his small plane from Chehalis to Yakima when he spotted what appeared to be a formation of nine strange aircraft traveling near Mt. Rainier. Arnold calculated they were flying at supersonic speeds of at least 1,200 miles an hour, something military aircraft of the day were incapable of doing.&nbsp;</p>Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:40:09 +0000Dave Meyer1941 at http://kplu.org64th anniversary of flying saucers at Mt. RainierBellingham mayor apologizes, 125 years after expulsion of Chinesehttp://kplu.org/post/bellingham-mayor-apologizes-125-years-after-expulsion-chinese
<p>Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike has issued a formal apology to the Chinese community for the expulsion of their people,125 years ago.</p><p>Pike says the apology is meant to make it clear: authorities now see the racist actions by regional governments and their supporters more than a century ago were wrong.</p><blockquote><p>In 1885 and 1886, thousands of <a href="http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&amp;File_Id=2060">Chinese immigrants</a> were driven out of Puget Sound towns during an economic downturn. Civic leaders and town newspapers argued the new residents were taking jobs away from white people.</p></blockquote><p>The apology and related events this week in Bellingham are part of a year-long <a href="http://iexaminer.org/cerp/">Chinese Expulsion Remembrance Project</a>. Seattle, <a href="http://americollector.com/unhappy/">Tacoma,</a> Olympia and Mount Vernon are also taking part. The project also has a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chinese-Expulsion-Remembrance-Project/169280723096193">Facebook page</a>.Fri, 27 May 2011 15:34:23 +0000Bellamy Pailthorp1687 at http://kplu.orgBellingham mayor apologizes, 125 years after expulsion of ChineseAstoria celebrates bicentennial with look back to 1811http://kplu.org/post/astoria-celebrates-bicentennial-look-back-1811
<p>http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-969173.mp3</p><p>Quick, name the oldest city in the Northwest.</p><p>You get a gold star if you answered Astoria, Oregon. It is named for wealthy fur trader John Jacob Astor. The settlement at the mouth of the Columbia River celebrates its bicentennial this year. The official kickoff is this weekend [May 20-22].&nbsp; KPLU&#39;s Tom Banse reports Astoria&#39;s founding has left legacies that span the whole Northwest.</p><p>Thu, 19 May 2011 14:28:18 +0000Tom Banse1615 at http://kplu.orgAstoria celebrates bicentennial with look back to 1811Tolls begin on new Lk. Washington floating bridge in summer - 1940http://kplu.org/post/tolls-begin-new-lk-washington-floating-bridge-summer-1940
<p>With the start - or rather, resumption of tolling on the 520 bridge a few weeks away, history buffs are recalling the opening of the <em>first</em> Lake Washington Floating Bridge, 71 years ago.</p><p>Skeptics predicted it would sink, and that tolling would never pay for the cost of construction. Sound familiar?Wed, 18 May 2011 21:36:03 +0000Gary Crawford1622 at http://kplu.orgTolls begin on new Lk. Washington floating bridge in summer - 1940